The Moment I Knew
by NikkiB1973
Summary: Jacob can't tell Bella his secret, so she asks him to run away with her. They go on the run, but this is only the start of their problems. Set in New Moon AU.
1. Chapter 1

**The Moment I Knew**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-this is a new way of writing for me. I hardly ever write in FPOV because I find it quite hard. Originally I tried to write using Jake's voice, but it didn't sound right, so I opted to use Bella's instead. I would love to know what you all think. Is it worth continuing? Let me know, thanks! Nikki :)**_

**Part One-Running Away**

"We could run away." The words were out of my mouth before I'd even realised I had spoken.

Jacob turned to look at me, a startled look in his dark eyes. I could see him assessing me for a moment, seeing if I really meant what I said. "You'd do that?" I could hear the disbelief in his voice.

"Yes." I whispered. In that moment I knew I meant every word. He was my best friend and he needed help, I could see it. "I would do it for you."

He turned to face me fully, his eyes still looking wary. "I don't think I can."

"Why?" I walked closer to him. "They can't stop you."

A tremor ran through his body as he half turned back toward the window again. "They could try." He seemed unsure and indecisive.

"Jake, I'm worried about you." I reached out and took his hand, squeezing his fingers gently.

Jacob stared at our entwined hands. "It's hard, Bells."

"Tell me then." I begged him. "What has happened?"

Jacob raised his head, his whole body was like a coiled spring, I could see the muscles tense under his tan skin. He had changed so much in such a short time. The boy I knew was gone to be replaced with this man, who looked so much older, but at certain times still showed flashes of the sixteen year old boy underneath all the muscles mass. I longed to understand what had happened to him, but he still held back. It was like he was being pulled in two different directions and if I pushed him too far the wrong way he could snap.

"I want to tell you." He said eventually. "But I just..." he gritted his teeth in frustration as his speech was cut off. Jacob released my hand and tugged on the ends of his short hair as he began to pace. "I just want things to go back to the way they were." He muttered.

"They can, Jake. Let's just get out of here." I said again, astonished at my own boldness. I hadn't wanted to leave Forks since Edward left me, holding onto some pathetic idea that he would someday come back for me. But I knew this feeling was irrational. Suddenly it was imperative I get out of here.

Jacob still seemed to be fighting an internal battle. He kept glancing at the open window then at me. I watched him for a few moments until his whole body sagged and he took two faltering steps in my direction. I approached him and slipped my arms around his waist. I felt him hesitate for a second before he wrapped his arms around my body. His heat was overwhelming as he bent low to whisper in my ear. "Yeah...let's get out of here."

* * *

We set off in the old truck that Jacob had fixed for me so long ago when I had first arrived in Forks. I had bundled a few clothes into an old rucksack, at the bottom was a stash of money that I had been putting away for college. It wasn't much but it would be enough to pay for food over the next few days. We knew we couldn't stay away for more then a few days, but I could sense that Jake really needed this as much as I did. He had no clothes with him but the shorts he had arrived in. I had stolen a couple of my dad's shirts and his hiking boots, they would have to suffice for Jake until we managed to buy him something. He refused to go back home to get any clothes. He told me if we were leaving then we had to go right now.

I left a note for my dad, feeling guilty that I was running out on him again. I promised that I would call the next day and that I planned to be back in a few days. It had felt freeing locking the front door behind me and getting into the truck. I had inhaled the cold night air; a sense of adventure I had never experienced flooding through me. I glanced at Jake and saw that he was watching me closely. I had smiled at him and, ever so slowly, the sunny grin that I loved to see him wear flashed across his face.

"Let's go." He had taken the keys from me, insisting that he wanted to drive. I handed them to him, anything to make him happy.

* * *

I fell asleep while Jacob drove. Even the jolting of the truck and it's loud rumbling engine didn't wake me. When I next opened my eyes it was broad daylight. The truck was parked up by the side of the road and, when I glanced to the side, I saw that Jake was asleep. His head was resting on the steering wheel as he snoozed. He looked so sweet lying like that, his short hair was sticking up in spikes and I had the sudden urge to run my fingers through the silky strands. I actually had to place my hands in my lap to stop myself from doing so. Instead, as a way to distract myself, I looked out of the windscreen to see where we were. I saw a few houses dotted either side of the road, people were walking past on the side walk, some glancing in at us, probably wondering why Jake was comatose in the middle of the day. I glanced at my watch, it was eleven in the morning. Wow, I hadn't realized it was that late.

I recognized where we were now. We were on the outskirts of Port Angeles. I saw another man look curiously in at us. I nudged Jake, hating to wake him, but I felt like I had no choice. He mumbled something about Sam, before suddenly sitting bolt upright and looking about him in shock.

"Jake, are you alright?" I touched his arm gently.

He turned and stared at me for a moment, his eyes unfocused. I stared at back at him, worried by the yellow rings I saw around his pupils. "Jake." I said again, my voice quavering.

Slowly Jacob seemed to come back to himself, he shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. "Bells?"

"Are you okay?" I asked tentatively.

"I don't know." Jacob sounded desperate. "I was hoping it would be better when I was away from La Push but I can still sense them."

I frowned, confused by his words. "Sense them?"  
"Yeah." He choked out. "Sam's the strongest." He hung his head, seemingly defeated. His body trembled again.

"Do... do you need to go back, Jake?"

His head shot back up and he shook it. "No, I'm not ready. Let's go further. It may help."

"Alright." I said with relief. I wasn't ready to give up yet either. "Let's go into Port Angeles and get some food."

"Yeah, we'll do that." Jacob seemed better now we had a plan, even if it was only getting something to eat. He switched on the engine and the truck roared to life. He carefully pulled back on the road and headed for the main town.

* * *

I watched in fascination as Jacob devoured his burger. This was his third one and he still had two sets of large fries to go. He had always had a hearty appetite, but this was something else. He was eating like he hadn't tasted food for a week. He stopped chewing for a second when he realized I was staring at him. "Aren't you hungry?"

"Yeah." I gave him a weak smile and began to take tiny bites out of my burger.

Jake grinned at me and continued eating. I glanced around the burger bar, it was crowded because it was lunch time. Groups of teenagers were clustered around the small tables, making a lot of noise. There were some family groups; young children crying or yelling, as their flustered parents tried to keep them in order. It seemed such an ordinary place to be; after everything that had happened to me over the past eighteen months, ordinary was nice. I began to take bigger bites out of my burger. This seemed to please Jake as he grinned at me and winked.

* * *

An hour later and we were back on the road. We left the confines of Port Angeles and headed out onto the open road. The scenery was luscious, tall trees grew on both sides of the road and at times it felt like we were the only truck on the road. We had purchased some clothes for Jake at Walmart, a couple of t-shirts and some sweats. It had been hard to find anything that fit him really, he was so tall now. Jake wasn't bothered in the slightest. He said he would just cut the sweats down. Luckily my dad's boots fit him and the shirts weren't too tight. He was wearing one now, he had rolled the sleeves up to the elbows and had it open. I kept getting glimpses of his bare chest, the muscles moving under his smooth skin. It proved extremely distracting and I nearly swerved a couple of times. Jake soon took over the driving again, giving me curious glances, probably wondering what the hell was wrong with me. I was beginning to think the same thing.

We stopped off at a little road side diner to get some more food. I was feeling very tired and irritable from the hours spent in the cab of the truck. Jake seemed as fresh as when we had left. He seemed a lot happier the further we had traveled. He took my hand as we went inside the diner. There were only a couple of other occupants, two men wearing baseball caps, loaded guns lying against the counter. They glanced our way and I felt Jake stiffen as we realized they were both Native American.

"Do you know them?" I whispered worriedly.

"Yes." He muttered. "They're from the Makah res. What are they doing here?"

One of the men got up, he pushed his baseball cap further up his head as he scratched his forehead. His long black hair, grey streaks running down the sides, was tied at the nape of his neck. "I thought it was you." He called out to Jake. "You're Billy's son."

Jacob pulled me slightly behind him. "Yes. Hi Shawn." He greeted the stranger.

Shawn waved over to his friend. "Hey, Noah look who it is."

Noah looked over in our direction. I flinched when I saw his face. He had a scar running down the center of his face. One eye was half shut. It looked like he had suffered from some sort of animal attack in the past. He stood up and wandered over to us. He was taller then Shawn, he too had his long hair tied back off of his face. "I see it's Billy Black's son. What are you doing out here? And who is the pale face?"

"That's really none of your business." Jacob said coldly. His hold on my hand tightened. I could tell he didn't like this Noah character.

"No need to be rude son." Shawn said in disapproval. "It was just a friendly question."

"I'm sure." Jacob held Shawn's gaze for a moment before tugging me over to the counter. He ignored the two men as he ordered us some food and drink to take away.

Noah clamped a hand on my shoulder as I stood with my back to him. I let out a gasp of surprise. We both spun round and Jake pushed the older man away from me. "Get your hands off of her." He growled.

Noah got right in Jake's face. "She has been marked. I saw the scar on her wrist." He sneered.

Jacob's eyes widened. I watched in horrid fascination as Noah showed me his forearm. A familiar silvery scar, the impressions of teeth clearly showing, glinted in the overhead lights. I began to shake as Noah scrutinized me closely. "Now how did a little pale face escape one of the cold ones?" He muttered.

My chest tightened in fear as he continued to study me. Jacob quickly stepped in front of me. "I warned you to stay away."

Noah turned his head to the side and showed his teeth. He was making me feel ill. There was something not right about this man at all. His companion Shawn suddenly decided to intervene. He gripped Noah's shoulder and pulled him back. "Not here, Noah. She is obviously under the Black's protection."

"Why would you be looking out for someone who has been marked by a cold one?" Noah demanded.

Jake crossed his arms and glared at the older man. "That is none of your business."

"Oh yes it is." Noah seethed. "Does your father even know? Or Sam or any of the others?"

A growl ripped from Jacob's chest, startling both me and the two men. Noah stepped back in surprise. He stared at Jacob for a moment before dropping his eyes to the floor. When I glanced back up at Jake again, I noticed the same yellow rings around his pupils as before, his arms were shaking too. What the hell was happening here? The two men seemed to know as they looked quite fearful as they began to back away.

"I didn't know." Noah muttered, now sounding quite deferential. "I didn't realise you had turned."

I felt a shudder run through Jake's body at Noah's words. "Just get out of here." Jake told them. He turned away again and headed for the counter. I looked at Noah and Shawn for a second, they were whispering together, before collecting their guns and leaving as Jake had ordered them to.

I remained silent, pondering about what the two strange men had said. Noah had the same scar as I did. He had obviously been attacked by a vampire. Was it the same one who had inflicted the scars on his face? And if so, how had he survived a vampire bite? Edward had sucked the venom out of my blood. Had someone done the same for this Noah character, and why? So many questions. It frightened me. Jake looked shaken up too, even though he was trying his best to hide it. We collected our food and went back to the truck. We didn't hang around the area, just drove on a couple of miles before stopping again and eating the food.

* * *

Light rain started to fall as we finished eating our food. Night was drawing in and we were stuck on the side of the road, in a pretty remote location. Jake had been quiet ever since we had left the diner. I was burning to ask him about the two men and what Noah had meant when he said that Jake had turned? Noah had also mentioned Sam and the others. Was this the cult that Sam was supposedly in charge of, and how did this impact on Jake? I looked at him worriedly, wondering whether we should just head home. I still hadn't called my dad like I had promised.

Jake unwound the window and leaned his head out of the cab of the truck. He seemed to be listening for something. I saw his eyes narrow as he suddenly switched on the engine and pulled back onto the road. "Fuck." He swore.

"Jake?" I said in fear as I frantically held onto the dashboard as he put his foot down. The truck's engine whined in protest, not used to being pushed so hard. "What's happening?"

"They've found me, Bells." Jacob hit the steering wheel in frustration as he glanced toward the trees lining the road.

I strained my eyes as I stared through the dark night. I was certain I could see large shadows gliding through the trees keeping pace with the truck easily. Occasionally I would see eyes, as the trucks headlights shone in them. The shadowy shapes were huge, it was hard to see them clearly as the trees broke up the shapes.

"Jake, what's going on?" I begged him.

He looked at me sadly. "I'm so sorry."

"Why?" I didn't understand at all.

Suddenly Jacob slammed his foot on the brake, causing the truck to swerve. I just managed to stop my head hitting the dashboard. I shivered as I took in deep breaths to compose myself. "What the hell, Jake?" I questioned him, my voice hoarse with fear.

Jacob took my hand in his own and held it tightly, his eyes were fixated on the road ahead. I stared through the windscreen to see what had him so transfixed. Standing a metre or so from the hood of the truck stood four large wolves, their eyes were illuminated by the lights of the truck as they stood stock still in front of us, blocking the road. The biggest of the wolves, his black fur making him almost invisible, loped toward us. My heart beat fast in my chest as I opened my mouth and screamed.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	2. Chapter 2

**The Moment I Knew**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-thank you so much for the kind reviews. Here is the next chapter. I really admire all these authors who write in FPOV, they are geniuses and I am not, LOL ;)**_

**Part Two-Finding Out**

I felt two hands press into my cheeks as my scream caught in my throat. I shuddered as I heard Jacob pleading with me. "Bells honey, you have to be quiet. Please for me."

I was finding it difficult to catch my breath as I stared at Jacob, my eyes wild with fear. "The wolves...we...we have to get out...out of here."

"Look at me, Bells." Jacob commanded me.

I tried to get myself under control as I focused all of my attention on Jake. "What's happening?"

A sigh escaped his lips as he glanced out of the truck's windscreen. I followed his gaze and my heart accelerated again as I saw the huge black wolf circling the truck. The others kept their distance, for reasons I couldn't understand. Jake wasn't frightened in the least, in fact he just looked resigned. He turned back to me, stroking my cheeks with his thumbs. "Listen I need you to stay in the truck for a moment, okay. Lock the doors and keep very still until I come back."

"You're not going out there?" I grabbed onto his arms frantically. "They'll kill you."

Jacob took my hands in his own to stop me clutching him. "They might kill me, but not in the way you imagine." He said wryly. "Stay in the truck like I said and lock the doors until I get back."

"Jake, no..." I cried out as he suddenly let go of my hands and exited the truck. He slammed the drivers door after him and motioned for me to lock the doors. I had no choice but to obey him. He gave me one last tortured look, before suddenly bolting for the trees. To my dismay, all four wolves followed him until the road was deserted.

I stayed frozen in my seat for what felt like hours, but in reality was a mere moment. All kinds of unanswerable questions reverberated around my head. I continued to stare at the spot where Jacob had disappeared within the trees. Why had he risked his life by going out and foolishly letting the wolves chase after him? How could he possibly escape them? I began to get more panicked as I thought about him lying in the forest injured while I was sitting here doing nothing.

With my hands shaking uncontrollably I unlocked the passenger door and opened it. The squeak of the metal set my teeth on edge as I jumped to the ground, my legs nearly buckling under me. It was now so dark it was getting hard to see. I kept my eyes fixated on the spot where I had seen Jacob enter the forest. It seemed an eternity before I reached the trees. Everything was so silent and foreboding as I took a deep breath and slipped through the trees. I glanced about me, the foliage was so dense I couldn't see a thing. An owl hooted above me and I nearly fell flat on my face with fear. Every little movement or the snap of a twig made me want to scream. I had to bite down hard on my lip to stop myself from crying out.

I remembered the hiking trips Jake and I had been on in the recent past. I had been determined to find the meadow where I had spent some of the most romantic moments of my relationship with Edward. I had never found it. The search had been fruitless, but the hiking trips had taught me a little about finding my sense of direction. I forced myself to get my breathing under control. I was gasping so loud I was disturbing all sorts of hidden wildlife. I pulled my keys out of my pocket, on the keyring hung a small torch. I switched it on and the thin beam of light illuminated the path ahead. Mentally noting which way was north I decided to head in that direction, having no idea what else to do. To mark my way back, I scuffed my boots in the dirt, leaving an impression of my foot print. Jacob would be proud of my resourcefulness. This thought brought my mood crashing back down. I needed to find him and fast. He had become my whole world; I couldn't lose him. I just couldn't.

* * *

Ten minutes passed and I still hadn't found him, I was completely lost. I turned in circles, a little whimper escaping my mouth as I realized I had lost sight of the last marking I had made. All the trees looked the same when I flashed the light on them. I heard rustling in the bushes and nearly passed out when some sort of little mammal scampered past me.

"Jake? Where are you?" I called out, forgetting all notions of keeping my presence a secret from the wolves. I was now in full panic mode and had lost all sense of rationality. I just wanted my sun to come and save me like he always did.

Movement to the left of me made me spin round. I nearly dropped the small torch as I shone it in that direction. I could see a large shadow looming in front of me. I began to back away, tripping over every small stone and twig. The light shook as my hand trembled, making the shadow figure in front of me loom twice as large.

"Get away from me." I cried out. The back of my heel connected with a fallen branch and I fell backwards, landing on my butt and making me scream.

The shadowy figure came right up to me. I rushed to shine the torch in his face, so I could at least see my tormentor. When the beam flashed in his dark eyes I nearly fainted. "Embry? Is that you?" I asked in disbelief.

"Hey Bella." Embry flashed me a sheepish smile. "Long time no see."

* * *

"But I don't understand. What are you doing out here?" I asked him for the hundredth time as he led me through the dark trees. He was so sure footed, he didn't even look at the floor in case he tripped. He wasn't even wearing shoes. The hard ground must be cutting into his feet, but he didn't seem to feel it as he strode purposefully forward. Like Jake was when he came to my house the night before, Embry was wearing nothing but shorts. As I followed behind him, constantly tripping over my own feet, I could swear it was Jake from the back.

"I'm sorry, Bella." Embry apologized as we walked. "I can't explain. I'll leave that to Jake."

"Can you at least tell me if he's okay?" I begged him.

Embry turned to look at me and laughed, amusement clear in his dark eyes. "Yeah he's fine, if you call having his ear chewed off by Sam as fine."

"Sam? He's here too? I don't und..."

"Yeah I get it, Bella. You don't understand." Embry laughed again, obviously finding my confusion funny. He began to walk off again, increasing his pace so I was forced to run after him. I no longer had any breath to ask him any more questions, maybe that was the point.

We broke out of the trees and to my surprise Embry had led me straight back to where the truck was parked. He opened the passenger door for me and held my hand as I climbed back in. Before he shut the door he gave me another friendly smile. "Now stay put. I don't want to have to chase you down again."

"You're not staying?" I asked, beginning to panic again.

"Don't worry. I'll be nearby until Jake gets back." He said mysteriously as he shut the door and quickly ran back under the covering trees.

My mind was spinning. I had no idea what the hell was happening. It seemed that Jake had led the wolves away and then run into Sam and Embry. What they were doing out here I had no idea. Sam must be telling Jake off for leaving his father behind. Jake had been so fearful of Sam and his _cult;_ as he called his followers. Jake had been gutted when his best friend, Embry, had suddenly joined Sam's gang. He couldn't understand why his friend would suddenly cut his hair and follow Sam around, after all, he had thought the same about Sam himself. It was all so odd. I sat there staring into the forest, waiting for Jake to reappear. He was taking so long. I pulled my jacket tighter around myself. Without Jake to cuddle up to, I was feeling the cold. My eyes started to droop after a while as they became tired from staking out the forest. Before I knew it I had fallen into a light doze.

My mind was taken back to the first night I had seen Jake at First beach. I had been invited by Mike to a beach party in La Push. I had only just moved to Forks and, with Edward still acting strangely around me at that time, I had decided to try and mix more. Jake and some of his friends were there and they came to join our group. He recognized me straight away and came over to chat to me. He was so cute and I found myself spending most of the evening with him, listening to his scary stories. My lame attempts at flirting with him seemed to work and I got him to open up about some of his tribal legends regarding the cold ones, fishing for as much information as I could about Edward and his family. Jake hadn't known then, but it was his stories that had confirmed to me exactly what Edward was.

He had told me about the legends regarding the treaty that his ancestors had made with the Cullen family. The chief of the tribe, Ephraim, had listened to Carlisle and agreed that if they stayed away from their lands then the wolf pack...my eyes shot open and I sat up straight in my seat. Wolf pack? My god, how had I been so dense? The spirit wolves, Jake had mentioned them to me many times. Ephraim was not just the chief of the tribe but the Alpha of the pack that had signed the treaty with the Cullen's. My hand flew to my mouth as all the pieces slotted into place. Sam wasn't the leader of a cult, he was the Alpha of a newly formed pack. Embry had recently joined them and now my Jake had too. That's why he had been staying away from me and why he hadn't been scared when they appeared right in front of us.

My head was really hurting now as I took all this in. Jake had been trying to give me hints when he came to see me, but I was too caught up in my memories of the Cullen's to figure it out. I was such a bad friend. This huge momentous change had occurred in my best friend's life and I had no idea. Instead I had recklessly urged him to run away instead of using my brain and figuring out what had been going on. I could have supported him. That's why he came to see me. In his own way Jake needed me as much as I did him. I rested my aching head on the back of the bench seat, internally castigating myself for my stupidity.

* * *

Finally I saw movement in the trees, Jake walked slowly out into the dim light of the truck's headlights. He had his head bowed and his feet dragged. I opened the door of the truck and jumped down to the ground. Stumbling as I always did, I would never be graceful, I jogged over to my best friend and threw myself into his arms. Jake seemed shocked at my exuberant greeting. He hesitated for a second before wrapping me in his arms and lifting me into a bear hug.

"I am so sorry, Jake. So sorry." I mumbled against his shoulder as he held me tight.

Jake didn't answer right away. Instead he carried me over to the truck and made me get back in. He followed after me, shutting the door after him. We sat in silence for a moment as he stared straight ahead. "I'm sorry Bells but I have to go home." He confessed sadly.

I put a gentle hand on his arm. He turned to look at me, worry written all over his face. "I know, Jake. It doesn't matter."

"It does." He said fiercely. "I wanted to get away and I know you did too."

I shrugged, none of that was important now. "Really I'm fine. It was a dumb idea. I shouldn't have made you run away with me."

"It wasn't dumb, Bells." Jacob disagreed with me. "I wanted to leave."

I gave him a weak smile as I took his warm hand in my own. "I should have supported you better, Jake. I didn't get it, but I understand now."

"Understand? What are you talking about?" Jake frowned in confusion.

I could feel the usual heat tinge my cheeks as I blushed, not really knowing how to put into words that I knew what he was. He continued to study me as I opened and closed my mouth, the words escaping me as usual. "Bells, what's wrong with you?" He asked impatiently.

"I...I know what you are." I finally blurted out.

Jacob froze, his hold on my hand tightened until it was almost painful. He now looked plain scared. I saw him swallow thickly as he dropped his eyes to our joined hands. "What do you mean you know?"

"I finally remembered the stories you told me." I confessed quietly. "About the wolf pack."

His breathing quickened as I saw a tremor run through his body. When he next glanced up at me there was a devastated look in his eyes that took my breath away. He let go of my hand and shifted as far away from me as the bench seat would allow. "I suppose you think I'm a monster." He said bitterly. "Why are you even still sitting here?"

I was stunned by his attitude. What was wrong with him? I shifted nearer but he just fumbled with the door handle and opened the door, jumping easily from the cab of the truck. "Jake? What are you doing?"

"Stay away from me, Bella." He said again. "I know what you must be thinking. I get it alright."

I shook my head in disbelief as I jumped to the ground. Every time I moved closer, he backed off. He was seriously beginning to piss me off. He had the wrong idea completely and was being stupidly stubborn. "You have no idea what I'm thinking." I yelled at him.

"Oh don't I?" He shot back at me, hurt written all over his face. "I guess I'm not the right kind of monster, am I?"

"That's a low blow, Jake." I retorted, his continual refusal to let me finish what I was saying making me increasingly angry.

"It's the truth though, isn't it?" He sneered. "I'm just not as good as your precious bloodsucker."

My eyes widened. How dare he bring Edward into this? "This has nothing to do with Edward." I seethed.

"Oh really, you can only love one kind of monster, is that it?" Jake shouted, his arms beginning to shake as he backed off again.

"No you stubborn idiot." I yelled back at him, beyond livid that he still wasn't listening to me. "I LOVE YOU." My hands flew to my mouth as I realized what I had just said. I stared at him in shock for a second before running back to the truck, climbing inside and locking the door.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	3. Chapter 3

**The Moment I Knew**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-thank you so much for the kind reviews on this story. :) Also I would like to thank whoever nominated my story 'Being There' for the Best Romance section in the Fandom Choice Awards. I really appreciate it, and good luck to everyone else who got nominated! Nikki :)**_

**Part Three-Heading Home**

I sat huddled in the cab of the truck, my head in my hands. I couldn't believe I had just come out with that. Verbalizing what I had only recently begun to admit to myself was moronic in the extreme. Not only was I deeply embarrassed but poor Jake, who had been through enough already, had some crazy girl declaring her love in the middle of a deserted road. I felt so ashamed. There was a soft knock on the window. I chanced a peek to see Jake looking in at me, motioning with his hand for me to unlock the door of the truck. I shook my head before turning my back on him. I could never look him in the eye ever again.

The sound of crunching metal made me yelp in surprise. I turned my head to see that somehow Jake had wrenched the door open. Wow he must have super strength. The Chevy was ancient and very solidly built, and Jake had literally ripped the door open. I recalled the time he had lifted the heavy motorbikes out of the back of the truck, I had thought the same thing then. That showed just how dense I was, Jake had been showing signs then and I had been so caught up in my own misery, that I had never noticed. I stared at him wide eyed as he studied the damage to the door.

"That's another job I'm gonna have to do." He muttered irritably. "Why didn't you just unlock the door, Bells?"

I tried to answer but my voice had deserted me. My face was heating up again as he joined me in the cab of the truck and pulled the damaged door shut. He sat facing me, obviously waiting for me to speak. I felt like such a dolt, sitting there gaping at him like a deer caught in headlights. He rolled his eyes at me as he reached out and caught my arm, tugging me closer to him. I didn't put up much of a fight. I let him put a comforting arm around my shoulders and I buried my head in his very appealing chest so I wouldn't have to look at him.

"I'm sorry." I mumbled, my face still burning with embarrassment.

"Sorry for what exactly?" I could hear the amusement in his voice as he spoke. "Telling me you loved me or locking yourself in the truck."

"Both." I confessed.

Jake placed a hand under my chin, forcing my head up so I had to look at him. I dropped my eyes, but he wasn't having that. He lowered his head so he could see directly into my eyes. "Why would you be sorry that you admitted how you felt?"

God would my skin ever return to a normal color again. I was sure I was hotter then Jake right now. "You've been through enough. I didn't mean to dump that on you too." I tried to yank my head out of his grasp but with his new super strength I had no chance.

Jacob gave me one of his gentle smiles. "I'm glad you said it. It was something I needed to hear. You were right, I was being a stubborn ass. I am the one who should be sorry." His voice lowered as he gazed at me intently. "And I feel the same, just so you know."

I felt my body heat up even more. Holy crow if he looked at me like that any longer I was going to spontaneously combust. "You have to stop doing that." I blurted out.

Jake looked surprised. "Doing what?"

Me and my big mouth. What was happening to me? I seemed to have developed verbal diarrhoea around my best friend. I turned away from him so I stopped staring at his impressive set of abs. It was Jake's own fault, he should wear a shirt at all times, showing so much skin all the time was proving very detrimental to my sanity. Well any girl would feel the same. I hadn't told him he was sort of beautiful for no reason. He was more than beautiful, he was...oh shut up Bella, I castigated myself. Get a grip, the poor boy was probably regretting ripping the door off like superman. Super Jake! The thought made me giggle. God he must think I'm insane.

Jake was definitely looking at me like I was a little crazy. He scrutinized me for a moment before placing a hand on my cheek. "I know it has been a lot to take in, Bells. But you're okay, right?"

I nodded my head like a chicken. He had that look on his face again. Phew it was getting hot in this cab. I really needed to wind down a window. Damn Jake and his supernatural heat, he was causing my insides to burn. I felt my heart speed up in my chest. He looked at me carefully for a moment before slowly inclining his head toward mine. My eyes dropped to his lips; he was going to kiss me. I knew it. Think Bella, think. Stop staring at him like a gaping fish. Jake stopped, his lips hovering above mine. I could feel his warm breath ghosting across my skin. This boy was seriously hot.

"Can I?" He asked me softly.

Graceful as ever I nodded my head and we bumped noses. "Ouch." I pulled back and my hand shot up to my nose. I rubbed where it stung.

Jake burst out laughing. I pouted at him as I continued to rub my sore nose. "It's not funny." I muttered.

He grinned happily at me. I loved seeing that expression on his face. I had missed it. Jake was never meant to be sad or melancholy. He was supposed to be happy, always. And I was going to make sure it stayed that way. I got over my pique and smiled back at him. "My nose hurts." I whined playfully.

"Oh poor nose." Jake bent down and kissed the sore spot with his full lips.

My breath hitched in my throat as he continued to kiss me all over my face. I closed my eyes and allowed myself to enjoy the sensation of his lips moving across my skin. I sighed in satisfaction and my whole body relaxed. I felt him smile as he noticed my reaction. Finally his lips reached mine and just as he pressed them lightly on mine, a knock on the truck's window made us jerk apart.

"What the fuck?" He growled angrily. I stared at him, trying to get my breathing under control. I don't think I was ever going to get use to Jake making that noise.

He turned to face the window and glared at the culprit. Embry waved at us both cheekily from the outside. Jake wound the window down and began to berate his friend. "What do you want?" He demanded.

"Don't shoot the messenger man." Embry held his hands up in a placatory gesture. "Sam ordered me to tell you to stop sucking face and turn this wreck around and head home. His words not mine."

"Unbelievable." Jake said angrily. "Have you all been watching this whole time?"

Embry gave me a cheeky wink as he pointed over to the trees. I peered out into the darkness and I swear I could see three sets of eyes gleaming between the trees, but then it might have been my imagination. Jake's eyes narrowed. He made as if to get out of the truck and go over there. I put a hand on his arm, my face blazing red with embarrassment again. "Leave it, Jake. We should set off if we're heading for home."

"Tell Sam I'll be having words when we get there." Jake snapped at Embry.

"No can do, bro." Embry opened the damaged door and squeezed himself in. I was forced to shove up to the drivers end as he made himself comfortable.

"What are you doing?" Jake demanded, getting extremely pissed. His arms were shaking, a sign I had already learnt that meant he might change or whatever it was that the wolves did.

"Calm down." Embry sat back and grinned. "Sam says I have to accompany you back, make sure you don't stop the truck and get distracted, if you know what I mean?"

"Oh my god, this is too much." I muttered. "Give me the keys, Jake and lets go."

Jake shot Embry another glare before passing me the keys. "You just wait, Em. I'll get you back for this." He warned him.

Embry howled with laughter. I quickly turned on the loud rumbling engine to drown out the noise as I reluctantly reversed and then spun the truck around, heading in the direction of home.

* * *

Jake took over the driving from me halfway home. I was beginning to tire and nearly swerved the truck off the road. It meant that I had to sit between the two muscle bound boys. I felt extremely uncomfortable. They were both built the same; Jake a bit more muscular than Embry, but both were wearing only cut off shorts and emitting way too much heat for the good of my poor old heart. I wore a permanent blush the whole way back as I tried to keep my thoughts pure and my eyes straight ahead.

I did fall asleep eventually and apparently my head slid into Embry's lap as the truck jerked forward. I think Jake had done it deliberately as my head had been resting on his friends shoulder as I slept and I had drooled all over him, nice! Yet one more thing to add to my embarrassment tally. After I was jolted awake I scooted closer to Jake and held onto his arm as he glared at Embry, who was howling with laughter again.

I had to admit as Jake pulled the truck into the driveway of my house that I had never been so glad to reach home. To my dismay however I saw my dad's police cruiser parked in front of us. He was inside. I had been hoping to avoid a face to face meeting with him so soon. He would be extremely pissed to find me stuffed in the truck between two half naked boys. My worst fears were realized when the front door opened and my dad marched out of the house, carrying his shotgun. I cursed the damn truck and it's loud engine. It had given our arrival away.

"Why is Chief Swan carrying a gun?" For the first time since I had met him Embry sounded nervous.

Jake too looked slightly worried. "I guess he's not in the mood to say hello." He joked lamely.

I looked between the two of them. They both wore the exact same expressions; they were scared. This cheered me up considerably, especially because Embry had been getting on my last nerve all the way home, making stupid jokes at my expense. "We better get out." I said in a serious tone.

"No way." Embry shook his head. "This old girl is solid metal. She's built like a tank. That'll stop the bullets."

I had to fight back a smile. This was hilarious. I turned to look at Jake. "Come on, we better face the music."

Jake swallowed nervously as he glanced down at me. "Maybe Em has the right idea." He hedged.

My dad had finally reached the truck. He banged on the door making Embry jump, he hit his head on the roof of the cab. This time I couldn't stop the smile spreading across my face. Good! He deserved that. Jake on the other hand was wearing a sheepish smile. He slowly opened the driver's door and jumped out onto the driveway. I followed after him.

"Hey Charlie." He greeted my dad.

My dad pointed the shotgun at him. "Inside." He barked.

"Dad." I protested.

"I said inside." He raised his voice higher. "You too, Embry Call."

Embry edged out of the truck, his hands raised in the air. "Chief Swan...I mean sir. I just want to let you know I had nothing to do with this. They were just giving me a lift."

Jake and I exchanged a look as we both stared at Embry in disbelief. "Coward." I heard Jake mutter.

"What was that?" My dad demanded as he waved his shotgun around. I gave a heavy sigh, he was really taking this overprotective father thing a bit too far now.

"Nothing Charlie." Jake said quickly.

"That's Chief Swan or Sir to you right now, son." My dad blustered as he motioned for the two boys to get into the house.

He pointed his shotgun at them and they ran up to the house, quickly disappearing inside. I saw a flicker of a smile cross my dad's lips which he tried to hide as he caught me staring at him. He put the gun down by his side. "You too, kiddo."

I gave him a pointed look as I followed Jake and Embry into the house. As I trudged up the steps I heard Jake talking to someone. Who was it? I hastened inside, wondering who it was. As I glanced in the living room I saw Jake and Embry standing side by side. Billy was sitting in his wheel chair in front of them. He had a stern look on his face as he lectured Jake for running away. Now I knew who was behind my dad's little act with the gun. The two of them must have cooked up that greeting between them.

"How did you know when I would be back?" Jake complained as he shoved his hands in the pockets of his shorts.

"A little birdie told me." Billy replied.

"You mean Sam." Jake said sullenly.

My dad appeared, his shotgun lying across his shoulder. "They turned up right on time, just as you said." He told Billy. "I can see Bells is unharmed so I won't shoot these two in the ass just yet."

"Hey, I had nothing to do with this." Embry complained.

"Don't make me change my mind boy. I have an itchy trigger finger." My dad snapped.

This was all getting ridiculous as Embry clamped his mouth shut. I shook my head at my dad as he exchanged a satisfied grin with Billy. They exchanged small talk for a minute before Billy told Jake they were leaving.

"You can borrow Bells' truck." My dad suggested. Obviously he had picked Billy up in the first place while they both laid in wait for us to come home.

"Thanks, Chief."

Jake turned to speak to me, but Billy got between us. "Not now, son. Let's leave Charlie and Bella alone to talk. The same goes for us, we'll be having a long discussion when we get back."

I saw that Jake was about to protest when his dad gave him a meaningful glance. He gritted his teeth as he shot me a glance. "Call me?"

"Yeah, I promise."

His face softened when I said this. He gave me that sexy look again which made my face heat up. I watched sadly as Jake left with his dad and Embry. He and Embry carried Billy in his chair down the steps and over toward the truck.

When they had gone I went back inside to face my dad. The gun was back in the cabinet and he was sitting down at the kitchen table waiting for me. I squared my shoulders as I took the seat opposite him and waited for him to speak.

_**A/N-thanks for reading! **_


	4. Chapter 4

**The Moment I Knew**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-thank you for the lovely reviews on this story. I really appreciate it. Nikki :)**_

**Part Four-Punishment and a Misunderstanding**

My dad's face was set in a serious expression as he looked at me. I squirmed uncomfortably in my seat as I sat opposite him. "Why did you run away, Bells?" He asked me softly. "This is the second time."

I hung my head, not able to bear the hurt look in his eyes. It was true, this was the second time I had just left. The first being when James was after me and I thought I had no other option but to go on the run. When I had returned I had made a promise to my father not to run off like that again. I had broken it only months later by running off with Jake.

"Come on, kiddo. Don't I deserve an explanation. Is it something I did?"

This question made me feel more ashamed of myself then ever. I forced myself to look at him. He had his hands clasped in front of him as he studied me. "I'm sorry." I apologized weakly. "Believe me, dad, this had nothing to do with you. Jake was going through some stuff and so was I. We just wanted some breathing space for a couple of days, that's all."

"What sort of stuff?" He asked.

I swallowed nervously. I had no idea how to answer him. "I can't say." I mumbled, knowing that wasn't going to be good enough for him.

"I don't understand you, Bells." The disappointment was clear in his tone. "If you won't tell me the truth I have no choice but to punish you."

My eyes widened. "Punish me?"

"Yes. I don't like doing this, but you have got to learn that you can't keep running away from your problems. Not only that but you took Jake with you. Billy relies on his son, you should have known better." My dad ran a hand through his hair as he let out a frustrated sigh.

More guilt weighed heavy on my heart. What he said was true. Billy suffered with severe diabetes and was now in a wheelchair. I had let my impetuousness lead Jake down the wrong path. I should never have suggested running away. "You're right. I'm sorry." I said again.

"Maybe so, kiddo, but you still need to deal with the consequences of your actions."

"I understand." I agreed, having no argument to put forward in my defense. "What is my punishment?"

My dad dropped his eyes from mine, obviously not comfortable with what he was about to say. "You're grounded for the next two weeks, that means coming home straight from school and no seeing Jake either. Billy and I discussed this while we were waiting for you to come back and we agreed that you should stay apart for a couple of weeks, that includes no phone calls either."

I felt my heart constrict in my chest. I hadn't expected that. "Please dad, not that. I'll do anything else, but don't ban me from seeing Jake." I begged him.

He took a deep breath. "The punishment stands, kiddo. I won't be swayed. I'm sorry but that is my last word on the subject."

He quickly stood up and left the room before I could protest further. I sat back in my chair, feeling utterly deflated. How was I supposed to manage without Jake for fourteen whole days and nights? It had been bad enough when we had been kept apart for just two days. I knew I wouldn't survive that long without him, he kept me on an even keel. Panic set in as I began to quietly fall apart.

* * *

I sneaked down the stairs and headed for the phone. I listened out for my dad, he was having a bath and hopefully would be too distracted to hear me using the phone. He had confiscated my cell so I had no other means of contacting Jake. I was taking a risk, but I needed to hear Jake's voice. If Billy answered I would have to just hang up. I wondered how Jake was taking the punishment. He didn't just have Billy to deal with but the whole pack as well. I sighed as I dialed the Black's number. It rang for a couple of moments and I was just about to give up when it was picked up.

"Hello." A female voice I didn't recognize answered.

I frowned, wondering if I had mis-dialled. "Err...is Jake there?" I asked cautiously.

"Yeah...who is this?" The unknown female asked.

"Bella."I replied. Who the hell was she? The girl sounded young, maybe about my age.

"Bella? Jake has never mentioned you before. Are you someone from his school?"

My blood ran cold. Jake had never mentioned me? He must know this girl very well then. "Not from his school. Can you get him please?"

"He's not here I'm afraid. He'll be back in about an hour, but I doubt he'll have time to return your call. We're heading out to dinner when he gets home." She said dismissively. "You should try again tomorrow."

I hadn't thought it possible that my weary heart could be broken a second time, but I could swear I heard it crack inside my chest. "Thanks for letting me know." I choked out.

"Do you want me to give him a message?" The girl asked.

"No, don't worry." I hung up quickly before she said anything else. I leaned back against the wall, closing my eyes as I wrapped my arms around my middle. The gaping hole in my chest that had finally been closed, ripped open again as I realized what a complete fool I had been to place my trust in Jake. He had someone already. I didn't know who she was, but they were obviously going out on a date. I had never thought he would do that to me. I had trusted him implicitly. It just showed what a complete fool I'd been.

I heard my dad coming out of the bathroom and then heading into his room. I couldn't let him see me in this state. I stumbled up the stairs and fled into my room, closing the door and locking it behind me. I didn't want to be disturbed. I fell onto my bed and crawled under the covers, yanking them over my head so I was in complete darkness. It was only then that I let the tears fall.

* * *

My dad tried to get me to come out to eat some dinner, but I couldn't face food. I made an excuse which I am sure he didn't believe. He probably thought I was sulking about being banned from seeing Jake. Well let him think that if he liked. He shouldn't have bothered with the punishment, Jake was preoccupied with his mystery girl. My chest hurt as I thought about it. I longed to be able to immerse myself in my zombie phase. At least then I had felt nothing, but I couldn't seem to switch my brain off. I kept picturing the scene in the truck where he had tried to kiss me before we were interrupted by Embry. Why would he do that? I didn't understand.

I glanced at my alarm clock, it was approaching midnight. I had a whole night to get through. I knew I would be awake for most of it; there was no way I could sleep. Throwing the covers off of me I slipped out of bed. I tiptoed over to my door and opened it, wincing when it creaked. I listened out for my dad, I was relieved to hear the usual snoring coming from his room. Good he was asleep. Very carefully I crept down the stairs and headed into the kitchen. I went to the fridge and took out the carton of milk. I poured some into a pan and warmed it up on the hob. Maybe it would help me sleep. I sat at the table and drank it slowly, my hands clutching the mug tightly.

I pondered over my past relationship with Edward. What was it about me that made it so easy for people to leave me? All the declarations of love had meant nothing in the end. He had just dumped me coldly in the middle of a freaking forest, for god's sake. What kind of person does that? Why out there and not here in my house? I had never been able to work that out. Then there was Jake...it hurt so much to think about him. I thought I had known him inside out, how could I have got things so wrong? I felt such a fool for telling him how I felt.

The milk was finished and I was still wide awake. I put the mug in the sink and wandered into the living room. I couldn't turn on the television or my dad would hear, and I didn't feel like reading either. All my books were romance novels and that's the last thing I wanted to read. In the end I decided to get out some of the old photo albums. I hadn't seen them in forever. I had some weird idea that seeing myself on celluloid growing up may give me an insight into why I was so unlucky in love.

My dad had all the old photos arranged in three thick volumes. I pulled them out of the cupboard and started with the baby pictures. There were loads of my mom holding me. Renee was smiling, but you could see it was forced. My dad was in a few, but even these seem stilted and posed. None of them reflected them as a couple, or us as a family. It was painfully obvious that their marriage was well and truly over after I was born. I flipped through those quickly, not wanting to reflect on the failure of my parent's marriage. The next album was full of pictures of me on my brief visits home to see dad. I didn't look very happy in those either. I was a sullen looking child. In a lot of the pictures I seemed to be trying to fade into the background.

I found some photo's of me and Jake when we were younger. My dad would often take me to the Black's house when I came to visit. He thought I would be happier playing with Jake's older sisters, Rachel and Rebecca. But they would ignore me mostly and I would end up playing with Jake instead. I studied a couple of the pictures; Jake and I were playing in the sand at First beach in one of them. We had built a sandcastle and were smiling proudly at our handiwork. It was the first picture where I seemed to be happy. I felt choked as I studied Jake as a young boy. He was wearing the same, sunny, happy go lucky grin that I loved to see. I stroked the image before quickly shutting the album. It hurt too much to see him.

What was I supposed to do now? Jake had become my whole world and I had been relying on him to keep me sane. But now I had lost him to some unknown girl. I lay my head against the back of the sofa and closed my eyes in despair. I stayed that way for a while until a noise made me sit bolt upright. I was certain that I had heard the stairs creak. Was my dad awake? I stood up and listened carefully. I couldn't hear anything, I must have imagined it. I decided to head on back to bed. Turning off the lamp I left the room, fumbling my way through the dark. I made it to the hallway when a tall shadow loomed in front of me. I was about to scream when a warm hand was placed over my mouth.

"It's me Bells." Jake whispered. He took his hand away and pulled me against his chest.

I was stunned. What the hell was he doing here? He must have sneaked through my window and come looking for me when I wasn't in my room. I wanted to yell at him for his betrayal, but I was so glad that he was here, that I found myself sinking into his embrace and resting my head on his chest. What if this was my last chance to hug Jacob Black?

We stayed like that for a while, just hugging each other. His head dropped to my shoulder and he stroked my back, his fingers leaving a trail of warmth behind. After a while I pulled back and pushed the hair out of my eyes as I looked at him. It was hard to see anything in the dark so I led him back into the living room and switched on the lamp. The small light illuminated his face, he looked tired and worn out. I still hadn't said anything, not trusting myself to speak. He sat on the sofa and pulled me down next to him.

"I take it Charlie told you about the punishment he and my dad cooked up between them." He muttered angrily.

I just nodded at him.

"I was so pissed off, Bells." He continued. "I gave my dad what for, then I had to go and face Sam and the others. He ordered me to do a six hour patrol as punishment for running off. That's why I could only get here now. I'm sorry."

I blinked a couple of times as I tried to take in what he was saying. I would never have thought it could happen, but Jake was lying right to my face. I felt my anger at him slowly building up inside. "I don't expect you got to eat dinner then." I snapped.

My tone made him jump. He stared at me, looking completely confused. "Dinner? Yeah I had something to eat."

"Oh I'm glad. I wouldn't want you wasting away." I hissed at him.

Jake was totally bemused by my attitude. He frowned as he turned me to face him. "What the fuck is wrong with you? Are you pissed that I took so long to get here? I explained why."

I batted his hands away as he tried to catch hold of my hand. "Oh yeah, how long did it take for you to come up with that lie? Did you and your date have a discussion about it over dinner?" I sneered.

Jake glared at me. He clamped his hands around the top of my arms and forced me to look at him. "I have no idea what you are talking about. Have you knocked yourself on the head or something?"

"No, I called your house earlier and had the pleasure of speaking to the little tart myself." I muttered fiercely, struggling to get his hands off of me.

"I don't know who you are talking about." He said again. "What girl?"

"Oh don't pretend you don't know." I retorted. "She informed me that you were out of the house and couldn't call me back because you were heading out to dinner."

Jake froze for a second before a slow grin began to spread across his face. "You're jealous."

"I am not." I lied badly. "You are a liar. Admit it, you went out to dinner with some girl."

Jake relaxed. He let go of my arms and made himself comfortable on the sofa. "Okay, you caught me out. I was out to dinner with a girl."

My mouth fell open as easy tears began to well in my eyes. I couldn't believe he was sitting there, smirking at me when he had just admitted that he had lied. "Why are you treating me like this?" I said brokenly.

Jake's demeanor changed when he saw how upset I was. He reached out and pulled me into another bone crushing hug. I struggled for a moment, but he wasn't letting me go. "Calm down honey and let me explain."

"What is there to explain?" I cried.

"I didn't know what or who you meant at first, but now I know. Rachel came back unexpectedly from college today. She's thinking of dropping out. Dad was really angry. We went out to dinner to talk about it." He said quickly.

I groaned in embarrassment. "Your sister Rachel?"

"Yep." He popped the P. "My stupid sister."

I buried my head in his chest, feeling utterly mortified, especially after tormenting myself thinking he had gone off with another girl. His hand stroked the back of my hair. I could feel his chest move as he laughed quietly at my expense.

"I am such an idiot." I whined. "I'm so sorry."

Jake put his hand under my chin and made me look at him. "It's okay, honey. I happen to have a soft spot for idiots."

My face blazed red as he gave me that look. It sent a pleasurable shiver right down to my core. This boy was going to be the death of me. He smiled as he inclined his head toward mine and kissed me.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	5. Chapter 5

**The Moment I Knew**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-thank you so much for the awesome reviews on this story! :)**_

_**So far this has been written in Bella's POV, but I thought I would attempt to write this chapter in Jake's POV. I admit I am not entirely happy with it. I haven't really captured his voice, but I really wanted to try. Anyways let me know what you think, be as critical as you like because I really need the feed back. Nikki :)**_

**Part Five-A Shock**

_Jake's POV;_

Now this is something I'd dreamed about for months, kissing my crush, Bella Swan. I had been in love with this girl for months, pining after her like a lovesick schoolboy, but now, not only was she letting me kiss her, but she had finally admitted her feelings for me. I had known for ages how she felt. I know the girl inside out. She is so easy to read. When she's sad and trying to hide it, I can tell and when she's in denial I can usually figure out the best way to get her to open up. We had an easy friendship; easy as breathing as I liked to put it. It had been this way since we were young kids.

I remember the first time I ever saw her. I was a skinny little three year old, preferring to spend my time outside collecting my treasures. My sisters were too old to want to spend time babying their little brother, but Bella wasn't. She had been so shy when Charlie had first brought her to my house, hiding behind his legs as my stupid sisters teased her. I thought she looked like an angel. I had toddled straight over to her and taken her hand. Bella had given me one of her shy smiles and I was hooked.

Ever since then, as each year passed, I had grown more attached to her. I looked forward to each summer when she would come to spend two weeks with Charlie. He would often bring her over to spend the day with us, feeling pretty clueless on how to entertain his young daughter. I would often lie awake the night before, unable to sleep as I got excited by the prospect of seeing her again. Like always, as soon as we were reunited, it was like we had never been apart. Bella was always shy, but when she was with me I got to see her fun side. The older she got, the more beautiful she became. Although she could never see it.

Then when she was twelve she stopped coming at all. Charlie traveled up to see her instead. I had been devastated. Why did she not want to come? I had given Charlie a letter, begging him to pass it to Bella. He had given me a firm promise. I was only ten at the time and very naive. That year turned out to be the worst of my life. Not only did Bella not write back to me, but my mom died. It was the first time that I learned that life could really kick you where it hurt. It was also the year where I had to learn to grow up fast. Dad's diabetes got worse without mom to nag him into taking his meds. By the beginning of my eleventh year I had taken over the role as his carer. He was in a wheelchair and my sisters had long ago begun the process of fleeing La Push. Life became hard and it was only my friends and my hopeful nature that kept me afloat.

Then when I was fifteen, I got the best news of my life. Bella was coming back to Forks to see her dad, but this time she would be staying. Charlie wanted to buy her a ride, my dad offered him his old Chevy. It was really ancient and ready for the scrap yard, but I offered to fix it. It would be my way of giving something to the girl of my dreams. I worked hard to get the engine up and running, spending long nights in the garage to get it ready.

Bella loved the old wreck and she still does. I couldn't stop smiling when I heard how enthusiastic she was about it. I still didn't get the chance to see her face to face until a few weeks after she arrived. She turned up unexpectedly at First beach one evening while I was there with some friends. Bella was with some of her high school friends. As soon as I saw her, my heart skipped a beat. She was as beautiful as ever, more so in my opinion. I saw the way that stupid blonde kid, Mike whatever his name is, was staring at her. He was obviously trying to get her attention, but once she saw me, Bella stayed by my side all night. We walked and talked for hours. It was like we had never been apart. She let me rattle on about the old legends of the tribe and seemed captivated by the stories. She even tried to flirt a little, and of course I lapped it up. After that night I was buzzing. I kept badgering my dad to take me over to see her and he finally caved in, but by that time she had begun dating the bloodsucker and he was all she could see. I saw her occasionally over the next few months. We still shared a connection when we were together, but I could see the change in her. The vibrant independent girl I had reconnected with on the beach had turned into a thin shadow of her former self. They don't call the cold ones bloodsuckers and leeches for nothing. Cullen was sucking the life out of her, everyone could see it, even Charlie and he was worried.

I now know what really happened when Bella ran away and that leech she called James went after her. It still makes my blood boil when I think about what she went through. If I ever saw Edward fucking Cullen again I planned to tear him limb from limb and burn him to ash. I hated what had happened to me; my life was no longer my own. I was now part of the legends I had told Bella about. Being away from her when I had first phased had been sheer torture. Sam had ordered me to stay away from Bella, but somehow, through sheer force of will, I had managed to overcome the Alpha command and go to her. I know he was still puzzled as to how I had managed it. I didn't care. He could stay as pissed at me as he liked. I wasn't him. I knew I would never hurt Bella. I had control.

Everything in my life had led me to this point, right here, right now. I was kissing Bella and she was reciprocating. The feeling of her lips on mine was sending my hormones into overdrive. I had to force myself not to scoop her up into my arms and make mad passionate love to her. Calm down Jake, remember control. I held the back of her head with my hand, curling my fingers into the silky strands of her hair. I loved Bella's hair, it was so thick and shiny. Everything about her was freaking beautiful. Why couldn't she see it? That leech had destroyed her self esteem until she felt she wasn't good enough for anything.

I intensified the kiss, slipping my tongue between her lips and tasting her. I was lost in her. I heard her moan and I nearly came apart. I was so hard that it was painful. I pulled back for a moment, looking into her sweet brown eyes as I took deep breaths to calm myself down. Charlie was asleep upstairs and we needed to be careful.

"I love you." I whispered, not being able to hold back about how I felt. I never had a problem being open about my feelings.

Bella smiled shyly at me as she touched my cheek gently. "I love you too." That adorable blush lit up her face and I couldn't stop myself from stealing another kiss.

We gazed at each other for a moment, before sitting back on the sofa to talk. I put my arm around her shoulders and Bella nestled into my side. "I'm sorry about the misunderstanding." She mumbled, the red blush tingeing her cheeks again.

"Doesn't matter." I said nonchalantly. "You look cute when you're mad."

She gave me that Bella look, which meant she was exasperated with me. Hitting me lightly on the chest she settled back down, resting her head on my chest. "Was your dad really angry?" She asked me.

I sighed, not wanting to think about the argument I had with my father. It was only Rachel's surprise return that had turned the spotlight off of me. I suppose my sister was useful for something for a change. The worst part had been my confrontation with Sam, that hadn't gone well at all. I felt Bella's small hand touching my chest. A shiver of desire ran through my body at her touch. She really had no idea what she did to me.

"Jake, did you hear what I said?"

"Yeah." I rubbed my eyes. I had to admit I felt exhausted. The six hour patrol and all the shit that had been thrown at me from both my dad and the pack had taken it's toll. "It didn't go too well with my dad, but Rach's sudden appearance stopped things before they got out of hand."

"I'm sorry." Bella said regretfully. "This is all my fault. I should never..."

"Stop it, Bells." I put a finger over her lips. "Don't blame yourself for this. I chose to run, you are not at fault here."

She sighed, taking my hint and not pressing me further. We stayed silent for a moment, just enjoying being back together. "How did it go with Sam and the others?" Bella asked after a while.

I grimaced, not liking the fact that Sam Uley had so much power over my life. I resented taking orders from him. I hadn't told Bella too much about the pack dynamic. She had no idea that we could hear each other's thoughts when phased; there was no privacy at all. All the pack knew every single thought and fantasy that I had about her. I just hoped none of them ever opened their big mouths and told her. It was hard knowing that for the foreseeable future I would be a slave to the pack and Sam's orders. My life was no longer my own and there would be little time outside of school and my other commitments to spend with Bella. But time with her was one thing that I was not prepared to give up. I would find a way around it somehow.

"Do you mind if we don't talk about Sam right now?" I traced a finger across her cheek, loving the feel of her soft skin. "I've had a gut full of him."

"Okay." She agreed easily.

"Thanks." I leaned down to kiss her again, her eyelids fluttered closed and she kissed me back, one hand resting on my chest as she did so. We were both breathless when we pulled apart.

"What are we going to do about the ban, Jake?" Bella bit her lip worriedly. It was a nervous habit she had whenever she was fretting about something. "I'm not even allowed to call you."

"I know." I replied, feeling anger at the situation beginning to build up in my chest. "I don't care what our dad's say. I can't stay away from you for two weeks. We'll just have to sneak around."

Bella smiled weakly. "Like this?"

I took her hand and laced our fingers together. "If we have to."

"What if we get caught?"

"We won't." I said determinedly.

"You can't be sure of that." Bella did that cute lip biting thing again.

"I can because I'm a big, scary werewolf. I'm not afraid of Charlie and his shotgun." I teased her playfully.

Bella giggled as I pulled her onto my lap and began to tickle her. "You looked scared earlier." She gasped out. "You and Embry ran into the house like a couple of scared little lambs."

"That was all an act for Charlie's benefit." I kissed her long and hard and she moaned softly when I pulled away.

"You have to stop doing that." Bella said with a smile. "My poor old heart can't take it."

I raised my eyebrows and gave her a wicked grin. "Really. Let's test that shall we." I pressed my mouth back onto hers, teasing her lips apart with my tongue. I was just about to intensify the kiss when I heard movement from upstairs. Fuck, Charlie was awake. I ended the kiss and placed my lips near Bella's ear. "Your dad is awake."

She froze in my arms as she looked at me in alarm. "He's going to catch you." She whispered back frantically.

"I'll have to go." I said regretfully. I gently pushed her off of my lap as I heard Charlie clear his throat. It sounded like he was at the top of the stairs. "I'll see you tomorrow night after I finish patrolling. Leave your window open."

"I promise. I love you." Bella reached up on her tiptoes to kiss me.

I kissed her back for a second before backing away. "I love you too."

She watched as I backed away toward the kitchen, ready to sneak out the back door. Charlie was beginning to descend the stairs. I carefully unlocked the door and crept out silently. Thanks to my new supernatural status, I no longer made a noise when I moved. I took a deep breath, the cool night air filling my lungs as I raced across the dewy grass and into the covering forest.

I quickly undressed and tied my shorts to the leather cord which wound around my left leg. The sounds of the night wildlife were loud in my ears as I felt the now familiar heat spread up my spine as I phased. It was strange how quickly I had acclimatised to switching back and forth between forms. Sam had reluctantly admitted that I was a natural and that it had taken him and the others a lot longer to master the change. I wasn't sure whether this was a good thing or not. The first time it had happened to me was still fresh in my mind. After the death of my mom that was the second worst night of my life. Bella never knew but I had ended up just outside her house after it had happened. I was so panicked that she was the first person I had run to, but Sam and the others had intercepted me before I could reach her, pulling me back toward La Push as I struggled against them. Looking back on it now, I was glad that they had. I would never have wanted Bella to see me like that.

The wind ruffled my fur as I stretched my legs. I could hear Jared and Paul in my head, they were having a debate about the local La Push girls, taking bets on which ones were hotter. Nights on patrol were long and sometimes we needed something to distract us. I usually thought about Bella. I heard the usual sarcastic comments from Paul as I pictured her smiling face, but I had long ago learned to ignore him. I pitied the poor girl who ended up with him, I was bored with his confrontational attitude and just wanted to go home and crash.

Just ahead I saw my house, I increased my pace, my ears perking forward as I reached the trees bordering our yard. I phased back easily, glad to have privacy in my head again. I quickly got dressed and jogged toward the house, slipping in the front door quietly so as not to disturb my dad or Rachel. I shouldn't have bothered. The light was on in the living room, as I walked in I saw my dad sitting in his wheelchair across from two men. I halted in shock as I saw Shawn, flanked by Noah, staring across at me.

_**A/N-thanks for reading! I am off to write another chapter for 'Home' now! :D  
**_


End file.
